Apple's new iMac and keyboard: first hands-on
By Ryan Block 
posted Aug 7th 2007 2:45PM
posted Aug 7th 2007 2:45PM
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That's just... Awesome, can't wait to order mine.
Up to 2.8Ghz Core 2 Duo, friggin' hell!!
Ordered mine - 2.8GHz :V
I'm sticking with 2GB of memory, for now.
"That's just... Awesome, can't wait to order mine"
says the rep from apple.
really fookin ugly screen and the huge lower border is such an eyesore
Apple rep, LOL.
I also ordered an Inspiron not too long ago - I have yet to receive it.
And I'm typing this from a PC I built in 04.
I'm in graphic design and Macs are an industry standard.
why are you justifying your purchase by saying Macs are an industry standard in Graphic Design? Its your money, buy what you want, ignore the big mouths, they do nothing but spew bile.
Uhm, because he is correct. I am a professional graphic artist and I can tell you that Macs ARE the industry standard for graphic design. There is no need for him to "justify" his purchase with that fact. I was forced to switch to Macs when I stopped working freelance. After the week or so it took to fully understand how to interface with the new computer, I never once looked back. Now I work on my Mac Pro and couldn't be happier with it.
whats the deal with these stupidly reflective displays? sure it might sharpen up the image or give it a bit more depth...but you can't see anything in sunlight. am i missing something here?
I am sick and tired of the myth that Macs are an "industry standard" for graphic design or even neccesary for the field. Not to mention the iMac is not even a pro level machine. The real standard is the Adobe Software Suite. I hope you are not useing iMovie or iPhoto for your professional work. As for me, I will save my money on the hardware and put it in my pocket as profit.
@jedda
You are correct in saying that Adobe Creative Suite is the industry standard for graphic design, but Macs are more of a standard because of their better font support and color management. Also, desktop publishing was pioneered on Macintosh computers, making them an industry standard as early as the 1980s.
hot damn
That's right, son.
I do not like the black around the screen makes it look like a old console tv
When will engadget use reviewers who list, examine and evaluate technology without letting us in on their "really important" personal hangups. I could care less that some blivet hates square keys or only likes pc cases in purple!
half the appeal of engadget is the human aspect. i can look up a spec sheet anywhere. i like hearing what they have to say and i can then choose whether to ignore it or not. they've always done this and hopefully always will. i'm surpised you're still here if it bothers you that much.
When engadget stops being a Blog and becomes a huge boring news corporation.
Keep the human elemnt, the personal aspect and the bloggers opinions - they are the things that keep people coming back.
The black border around the screen is disgusting. Where did that come from?
srsly
I have to agree. It looked good when it was switched off and it was just a big black rectangle, but with the screen it doesn't look anywhere near as hot as I first thought.
A lot of video panels have black bezel around them to make the picture pop and it surprisingly works. Apple is not the only ones doing this. I actually think it looks pretty good.
I remember when apple made a big deal about the "apple designed" gray border they chose for their monitors - I guess they were wrong back then and black is what they should have done - lol - expect new monitors to have "apple designed" black borders
You know what? If there's room for a black border, there's room for more LCD.
Get rid of the border, put in a bigger LCD.
If you know WHY they chose the gray boarder then it makes sense. The grey boarders were only on the separate monitors, remember the iMac has always had a white boarder until now. The monitors are considered 'Pro' equipment, and the grey boarder is to help graphic designers view color accurately. A non-grey boarder affects the perception of the colors on the screen. As iMacs become more of a media center machine for viewing photos and videos by regular people, they are pushing the design of the iMac more towards that of a television. Most televisions have black boarders because it makes the image 'pop' a bit more.
For those reasons, you can expect the monitors to retain their grey boarders.
SUCKA!
totally agree.
@Palooz
Precisely! The 20 inch screen's 1050 vertical lines of resolution is only 30 pixels from true HD. Why stop at 97.222% when the real estate is there?
There actually is a better reason for there being a border around the edge, and that is because of the casing itself.
The entire case is made out of one solid piece of aluminum, meaning there are no screws or anything to take off the back and put in the motherboard in. So, in order to fit the computer's components inside, they had to be put in through where the monitor is. The components inside are wider than the monitor, thus the border around the edge to cover the area where the components were inserted.
They chose to make the border black because having an aluminum edge would have looked like shit and having a white one would look like shit too. The black also has the advantage of making the screen's colors appear brighter and more crisp.... In my opinion, the black border doesn't look bad at all, especially if it means the case is more solid due to that.
Couldn't agree more. That black bezel is the biggest eyesore i have ever seen. I am a huge fan of Apple's great aesthetic design, but this is a mistake. It looks like they tried to model it after the iPhone and completely failed. If they were going for this, they sould have the whole display a matte black finish like the black macbook and keep the back the same brushed aluminum. That would look very sexy. This however has made my eyeballs burn.
It's not that bad - and actually looks great contrasting with the screen. Higher perceived contrast ratio and all of that. Also sets off the color saturation better than a white border would on the new glossy screen. Compared with the white strip of the (now) defunct iMacs, this is a big improvement.
It came from the 70's. I love it.
But without the Leno chin, where will our Post-it notes go?
in a recycling bin
I really don't understand why people whine about the "Jay Leno chin" of the iMacs. I mean, it's a computer dammit, not a screen. The stuff has to go somewhere. And besides, where would they put the Apple logo if there was no "chin"? ;)
Maybe the post it notes can go into the Dashboard that's built into MacOS X. I mean do we still need to use little post-it notes when we have the ability to put it in a calendar, e-mail, or post-it not like program?
Ad fat chin: It's sort of like complaining that the Mona Lisa is not blonde. Idiotic.
Look at this work of art - it's incredible. Now, everyone knows and expects Apple to make a new iMac the most beautiful ever, and they have pulled it off. Again.
But what really blows me away is the keyboard. Think about it - what other company would go through the trouble and completely redesign something as staid as the keyboard. And then come up with a design as radical as this? No=one! Because:
- They wouldn't think of redesigning the keyboard in the first place
- Even if they thought of it, the risk rejection is too high
- What's wrong with the old keyboard?
That's why I love Apple - always pushing the envelope. Now maybe they'll fix the Mighty Mouse for me... ;)
"Think about it - what other company would go through the trouble and completely redesign something as staid as the keyboard. And then come up with a design as radical as this? No=one!"
Uh...
http://oldcomputers.net/pics/ibm-pcjr-1.jpg
No one, eh?
Have you forgotten about the world's most amazing Sticky note alternative that I made possible for you in our Dashboard application? Lets try to not be so n00b next time, my friend.
I can't believe they killed off the Apple logo from the command key!
and the logo on the "chin" is horsey
Yeah, I mean how dare they kill of a LOGO that just confused people ¿
Yes it is sad, but as some one who trains people, It is much easier to say "use the command key", then to say "use the Apple/Command key, it's next to the space bar." I can see how this would be an "ease of use" advantage to newbies and switchers.
I will miss the Apple though.
Sacrilege!
is it Apple-Q forever?
One more step towards PC blandness.
I WANT MY APPLE BACK!
It was never "apple"-anything. It was always "command." Now it just isn't confusing.
I beg to differ.
Has anyone considered that non-English mac users do not use the term "command"?
What are they going to put on the German keyboard for example? "achtung" ?
Even in The Netherlands people are used to calling their shortcuts "appeltje - S" or "appeltje-C".
I think the implications of dropping the apple logo from that key is a serious, serious mistake, and has more implications than the mere iconic ones.
Steve & Jonathan, I implore you to reconsider!!
Looks sexy but at the same time very boring. It doesn't look nearly as iconic or Apple-ish like the previous white iMacs. They should have made the aluminum look more white, maybe pearl white. Because now the iMac is going to be mistaken for any silver coloured LCD monitor.
All in favor of a rename of Engadget to "Macgadget" say Aye.
Really! I mean, god forbid that they blog about a PRESS CONFERENCE, or anything like that! OMG MACGADGET IZ TEH B1AS1!!1!!1!
Ya know you guys keep on missing the point. If a company has a major PRESS event, and invites THE PRESS, then it stands to reason that THE PRESS will report on it. If Dell released their machines in the way that Apple does then they'd report on that too. There are PLENTY of stories about other things here, but lets look at reality, Apple does a better job at marketing than ANY other company out there with the possible exception of Nintendo. And for that matter MS does a pretty good job of marketing too, it's just a shame that their products don't match the hype.
So excited come on apple store open up, i need to sell my current imac and buy the new one and im being serious
The black border around the screen is disgusting. Where did that come from?
totally!
DELL's design team.
The new look is ok but a big dissapointment that I've always had with my intel iMac is that i dont understand why they havnt had rechargable battery packs for the blu tooth mouse/keyboard. I just hope that they've added that with the new and "imrpoved" iMacs.
So you are not disappointed because the batteries aren't rechargeable, rather you are disappointed because you don't understand why?
Hey! There's a bullshit keyboard pic in there...
http://www.engadget.com/photos/apples-new-imac-and-keyboard-first-hands-on/343530/
?? That's the wireless keyboard
Looks hott..where and when for sum laptops...LAPTOPS lol..but i like the look of this..but where are the laptops
on apple's spec page it says up to 2.8 Ghz core 2 Extreme, yet here it says up to 2.4Ghz,,
wonder why that is.
Standard config is 2.4GHz Core2Duo. You can order the X7900 (2.8GHz Core2Extreme).
You could duct-tape a MacBook Pro onto the back of a Cinema Display, so I don't understand why they need the "chin".
The Leno's chin would save you $1k and some duct tapes.
3,5" Hard Drive. Core 2 Extreme. ATI. 20" display. Heat. The iMac is incredibly small as it is. I am surprised that stuff can all fit in there and not overheat. My guess would be that the aluminium acts as a giant heat sink and makes this design possible in the first place.
Sexy but at the same time it looks boring and sterile. It look far from as Apple-ish and iconic like the previous white iMacs. Now it will look like any average silver monitor. How about a more white aluminum enclosure or perhaps a pearl white one?
How about they update the apple website in the UK to the 'new look'
ffs. old skool or what. I really think they have lost the plot
Seems the new iMac is thinner, but has a bigger frame. I assume they needed the extra volume (rather than the bigger frame being an aesthetic choice). And I've read this new black border gives the iMac a retro-tv look.
hmm .. why not use the iphone as a mouse? I am not talking about using the camera to track position on a mousepad. Nor am I saying it should display icons/menus from the PC. I am talking about a way to hookup the iPhone to the computer .. then on the iPhone's screen a zoomed out version of the screen appears. As you move about your finger or fingers on the face of the iPhone .. the part of the screen you are moving the pointer on appears to zoom in on the iPhone rapidly (all depending on and choreographed to how fast and where your finger moves). If only the iPhone screen had a downforce sensor to detect a click (I'm not even asking for it to be tactile). Anyway, what's the use of it? I dunno. Reduces chances of carpal tunnel? Anyway, I'll fess up that maybe it doesn't offer any advantages, but it would look cool --and maybe even help people pick up chicks?
a $600 mouse? nice thinking tard.
@mrhammerstein
This would be for existing iPhone users -- genius duh! Fun while it gets charge or something.
Why oh why did they put the Fn key to the left most corner of the wireless keyboard, instead of the Ctrl key that should be there? Come on Apple, you know better than that... And I so wanted to buy that small version!
Because that's where the fn key is on the Macbook keyboard that the new keyboard is based on.
//and every mac laptop's keyboard as far back as I can remember
//and, come to think of it, every PC laptop's keyboard I can remember, too!
Well, maybe on the Apple side but if you have looked at PCs in the last few years most manufacturers are moving to correct that flaw. It's curious Apple hasn't, as they understand interfaces better than anyone.
I don't quite see how it is a flaw - especially considering that the ctrl key gets very little use on the Mac (just about every Mac keyboard shortcut uses the command key instead of the ctrl key (except in the terminal), and now that the newer Macs have two-finger right click, even ctrl+click is really redundant). It is far more sensible to place a key that will actually see a fair amount of use at the easy-to-find corner of the keyboard.
What was the reflection of the display like in person? Pictures make it look like a mirror, reflecting everything behind you - almost distracting.
gloss is a no go for me, I work in a multi windowed office and would hate that level of glare
Ditto. My laptop has a glossy screen and it really sucks in an office-like environment. I can't even imagine trying to use it outside. Oh well, someone will be selling an anti-glare filter within a week.
The gloss just erased the iMac from my shopping list
Unless you're in an environment with lots (I mean lots) of extraneous light, the glossy layer can be a godsend. Color saturation is enhanced as well as perceived contrast ratio. It looks much nicer to the eye. Of course, this is not true in an office environment with 1000 flourescent lights overhead, but in most homes, it won't be an issue. My desk at home faces the window, so the light pours in hitting the back of the monitor. Hence the glare won't be an issue for me.
Finally they put the power key back on the keyboard! I won't have to reach under my desk to turn on my computer anymore! I don't like that they took the Apple logo off the command key, but I guess it makes sense for the new Mac users ("where the heck is the command key?")
You keep your iMac under your desk?
No, I keep my Mac Pro under my desk ... because it doesn't fit on top along with my two 30" displays.
Just bought one of these beauties ... looking forward to trying it out and seeing if it functions as well as it looks!
Actually, if you're paying any sort of attention to anything at all, the wired, full-sized keyboard doesn't have a power button, but the wireless, BATTERY-POWERED Bluetooth one does. Therefore, logically, the power button you are seeing is to turn they keyboard on and off, not the computer.
Read this post and look at the picture of how the new Apple Store will look.
Don't know how i managed to take it!
holy crap look at that glare!
I bet the box reads "cave required"
I thought all Mac users lived in a cave anyway? I know I haven't seen any out in the wild! j/k!
Sorry, forgot to attach the link in my excitement
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72318
gotta say not my taste. the black border around the screen looks like your sisters ass. there's no upgrading the internals, it looks like something out of a bad sci fi movie, an it uses a glossy display eager to show off reflections of everything in the room. i'm holding out hopes that they will do better with the new ipod
Wow... 10 Apple posts, yet during E3, there was maybe 5-7 posts TOTAL for the Big Three of video gaming.
Welcome to Applegadget.
You're reading the wrong blog. E3 was covered extensively by Engadget's sister-site, Joystiq.
And they found yet another place to hide the on/off button, probably just to keep the uninitiated from using them... It's actually quite hilarious to observe non-mac users in computer rooms trying to switch on an iMac (any generation, really). No wonder many people still think they "can't use macs" even though for the basic user macs and pcs aren't that different anymore.
I think these little features form a big part of the mac-appeal, and I like them, too, but they have an air of exclusivity and even smugness to them.
How frustrating - the Canadian store is still down. :|
Just as the last iMac was designed to look like iPod, this iMac is designed to look like the iPhone. Black border and all. I personally like it, but I don't plan to buy one. The new Core 2 Duo Mac Mini, however is officially on the shopping list.
all the stores are down...
Is the apple homepage promoting anorexia?
Correction: Anorexia and Steroride use.
Whoops! I mean Steroid. Damn new keyboard.
Is the iMac even relevant anymore?
Laptops account for the majority of marketshare, and have taken over from desktops in the mid-range. Desktops remain popular only in the very low end (budget PCs), and the very high end (gamer PCs, workstations). I'm very disappointed to see Apple focusing on the dying mid-range desktop market. They can keep the iMac alive and update it as long as some people will buy it, but I don't think it deserves to be the focus of a press conference!
"Is the iMac even relevant anymore?"
My iMac is the best computer I've ever owned. Some of us don't want to deal with docking a laptop to a keyboard and monitor (and all our other peripherals) every time we want to work at the desk. For my needs, my iMac + MacBook combo > a MacBook Pro.
@Silver
lol, im sry, i didnt get what u said, kinda confused me
could u put it a bit differently, i am interested in knowing why your comment was "highly ranked"
I like the new keyboard design but I think the biggest problem I'd have with it are the moving of the volume keys and dual purpose function keys. Even though I don't like that existing keyboard that much even after a short period of use the volume being in the upper right is much better! The number pad is a must, I think they should sneak a small one in even on the laptops and have the option on the bluetooth version.
The black on the back is nice but I liked the white better much more impressive when the back of the machine is facing a or customer/client.
For the love dog, why can't we get more than 3 USB ports or get them a little closer to the edge! Come on six ports!
The bevel and black apple logo don't wow me, this seems like one of those designs that won't last, I think these elements will be tweaked soon. I can ignore those things, but the glossy screen is a problem. It would be fine where I have my current iMac but putting this on my desk at work would be almost useless I boarded up the windows.
I'm sorry but that is pretty god damned ugly.
I don't know how to describe it but the Black and white just don't go together well with this design.
The black border didn't bother me at first, but the more I look at it, the less I dig it. It does seem a bit out of place considering there's not a hint of black to be found on the keyboard and mouse, which needed a redesign even more than the dustpan keyboard did.
The whole setup just looks a little out of balance to me. Maybe black keys on the keyboard and a black mouse would help...